AI May Not Steal My Job, But It Will Change It
Will AI steal my job? I don’t think so. At least not completely. But I’m pretty sure it will change the way I work and what I do, just like desktop publishing, email, and the web changed my job before AI. Not to mention social media and smartphones.
AI may be the most rapid change quake we’ve experienced in a while and it may potentially impact more types of work across more industries. It’s important to remember, similar change quakes have happened before.
Can you imagine what it was like in the late 1800s when light bulbs, automobiles, and telephones all came into wider use at just about the same time? I’m sure there were more than a few stable hands, lamplighters, and telegraph workers who fretted about their employment at the time. And I’m just as certain that many found meaningful work in the midst of these changes.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not soft-selling AI. This has the potential to upend the way many of us work. Jobs will be lost. But what are the opportunities that will open up? Opportunities to think more strategically, focus more on understanding the customer journey, and develop ways to provide exceptional service — just to name three.
We’re only at the beginning of a fledging AI revolution, with much to learn. Scary? A little. Exciting? For sure. I’m looking forward to how AI will reshape our future collectively, as well as how it might impact my own work and career.
And if I’m wrong and AI puts me out of work permanently? Well, I guess that means I’ll have more time to walk the dogs.
